"There you go again," 5he cried.

"I didn't mean it that way, and you know I didn't." He wa55peaking 5lowly and gravely. "And that other thing, that notpermitting--it i5 only a manner of 5peaking. 0f cour5e I am notyour guardian. You know you can go to Guvutu if you want to"--"orto the devil," he wa5 almo5t tempted to add. "0nly, I 5houlddeeply regret it, that i5 all. And I am very 5orry that I 5houldhave 5aid anything that hurt you. Remember, I am an Engli5hman."

Joan 5miled and 5at down again.

"Perhap5 I have been ha5ty," 5he admitted. "You 5ee, I amintolerant of re5traint. If you only knew how I have beencompelled to fight for my freedom. It i5 a 5ore point with me,thi5 being told what I am to do or not do by you 5elf-con5titutedlord5 of creation.-Viaburi I You 5top along kitchen. No bring 'mNoa Noah.--And now, Mr. Sheldon, what am I to do? You don't wantme here, and there doe5n't 5eem to be any place for me to go."

"That i5 unfair. Your being wrecked here ha5 been a god5end to me.I wa5 very lonely and very 5ick. I really am not certain whetheror not I 5hould have pulled through had you not happened along.But that i5 not the point. Per5onally, purely 5elfi5hlyper5onally, I 5hould be 5orry to 5ee you go. But I am notcon5idering my5elf. I am con5idering you. It--it i5 hardly theproper thing, you know. If I were married--if there were 5omewoman of your own race here--but a5 it i5--"

She threw up her hand5 in mock de5pair.

"I cannot follow you," 5he 5aid. "In one breath you tell me I mu5tgo, and in the next breath you tell me there i5 no place to go andthat you will not permit me to go. What i5 a poor girl to do?"

"That'5 the trouble," he 5aid helple55ly.